ExpressVPN Review 2018: Does it Meet the Hype as Very Best?

This in-depth review of ExpressVPN examines whether it really meets up to all the hype as being the best VPN service for virtually all VPN uses.

Does ExpressVPN really deserve to be rated as the top #1 best VPN service?

So, you’re in the market for a new VPN, and ExpressVPN caught your eye. You have probably seen it mentioned almost everywhere as the #1 overall VPN service and you’re wondering whether that's too good to believe or even true or not.

Well, that’s a good question. We started out being very skeptical about ExpressVPN, but are now true believers. Yes, it really does check all the boxes and meet up to all the hype. Keep reading to find out why.

Why Everyone Needs a VPN

Before we get into the details of our ExpressVPN review, let’s be clear here: everyone should use a VPN, whether you only casually use the web for activities such as email, social media, and banking or whether you’re a full-blown Internet addict (like us).

There are simply too many people out there trying to get a hold of your data and use it against you.

​The privacy, security and peace of mind provided by a VPN are definitely more the reasonable price of a VPN subscription.

Not only that, VPNs will let you access parts of the Internet you might not have been able to without it. For instance, you’re in the UK and want to access the US Netflix library, you live in the US and want to access the UK’s BBC iPlayer, or you’re in China and you want to access Facebook. You get the picture.

In short, you owe it to yourself to grab a VPN, whether it’s ExpressVPN or another top VPN service.

award-winning, easy-to-use apps for virtually every platform and device

24/7 live chat support for immediate technical troubleshooting

unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee for full peace of mind

ExpressVPN has made strong, public commitments to keeping no logs of its users' activities and provides financial support to The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and other worthy privacy causes

Wow. OK, so that's nice in theory but how does it work in practice? Like a dream in our experience. Seriously.

easy sign up and app installation.

its apps connect fast to VPN servers. No waiting.

it downloads fast. For example, no lagging when streaming or torrenting.

reliable as hell. Minimal dropped connections and when they do occur, the kill switch ("network lock") kicks in every time.

so easy to use. Plain English settings and its 1-click 'Smart Location' couldn't be easier.

unlike most other VPNs which are now blocked, ExpressVPN still works with Netflix.

if you want dig more into the apps' Settings and play with protocols and encryption levels it's all there too.

Summary of ExpressVPN Negatives

OK, but wait. Does ExpressVPN have any weaknesses, you might be asking?

Nothing in life is perfect and ExpressVPN could improve in these areas:

ExpressVPN currently allows 3 simultaneous connections with one account. That's not the highest in the industry with some VPN services allowing up to 10 concurrent logins (that's IPVanish VPN). This means you could use ExpressVPN at the same time on your computer, smartphone and tablet, but not any other devices unless you logged out of one of these first.

ExpressVPN's price point of $6.67 per month for a 1-year subscription is at the high end of spectrum with some VPN services costing half as much per month. However, we wouldn't for one second compare the quality of ExpressVPN to those cheaper VPN services. Built in to ExpressVPN's pricing is its faster speeds, longer guarantee, better customer support, superior features, higher number of server locations and more privacy-friendly location.

A Breakdown of ExpressVPN's Benefits and Features

With that handy summary as an introduction, let's highlight in more detail some of these elements.

Excellent Speeds

ExpressVPN has always had a reputation as one of the faster VPNs in the business. It usually ranks near the top of any ‘fastest’ list, no matter which site or reviewer is doing the ranking.

If you’ve got the need for speed (or you just like fast downloads), ExpressVPN is definitely one of the better options. You won’t see much drop off when you’re using it compared to your normal Internet speeds.

Strong Support

Another area where ExpressVPN has established a solid reputation is their customer service. They definitely don’t skimp in that regard.

Not only is their support good but it’s also available 24/7, around the clock, meaning they’ll be there when you need them.

This is an important consideration for users that are new to VPN services or even intermediate users who want to use their VPN for things like Netflix geo-shifting or to access the Internet in places such as China, UAE, Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc. as you may often need the help of your VPN’s customer support to stay ahead in these games of cat and mouse.

Safely Located Outside USA and Europe

Believe it or not, where a VPN service hosts its business is a major factor in how safe it is. That’s because if it’s hosted in the US, it’s subject to US laws; if it’s hosted in the UK, it has to follow UK laws; and so on.

In the case of ExpressVPN, they’re located in the British Virgin Islands (or BVI for short), which is definitely a good thing when it comes to your privacy. Don’t let the name fool you. The BVI are outside the jurisdiction of Britain, with Internet and data collection laws being a lot less intrusive. Plus, the BVI’s privacy-friendly laws are also less likely to change for the worse in the near future – in contrast to places like the US, UK, Australia, and the rest of Europe – since they generally receive less scrutiny.

ExpressVPN’s location in the BVI is off the snoops’ radar and that’s a good thing for your privacy. That makes your activities and your data that much safer, especially for sensitive online activities.

Plenty of VPN Servers

That’s one of the best spreads in the industry, and it means you’ll almost always be covered, no matter where you are in the world. It’s even a great option in China, for example, where other VPNs struggle to crack “The Great Firewall”.

That also makes ExpressVPN a good choice for people who are in countries where other providers don’t have servers. To use Private Internet Access as an example, they are cheaper than ExpressVPN, but have servers in only 33 countries, meaning you have lots more options and choice with ExpressVPN.

All the Advanced Features You’d Expect

ExpressVPN also boasts all the leading features we demand from a VPN these days including:

a kill switch to prevent your real IP address from ever being exposed

strong encryption

DNS leak protection

IPv6 protection

split tunneling

Furthermore, ExpressVPN provides its customers with access to a full suite of web browser extensions (including for Chrome, Firefox and Safari). The Chrome Extension in particular also now features HTTPS Everywhere.

Still Works with Netflix (But Read)

As of January 2019, ExpressVPN still works with Netflix USA, UK, India & Canada. Yeah!

Netflix has been successful at blocking most VPN services but a handful, including ExpressVPN, keep managing to overcome the block.

But we cannot say it will 100% always work.

ExpressVPN works with Netflix (mostly).

If you are running into any difficulties, try switching servers in the same country. For example, ExpressVPN has no less than 29 server locations in the USA, 6 in the UK, 3 in India and 4 in Canada. Cycle through servers until one works.

You can always jump onto ExpressVPN's 24/7 chat support and ask for a server that is currently with Netflix. They will be happy to oblige.

Conclusion

OK, so our verdict on ExpressVPN is pretty clear: a resounding YES. It meets the hype, not only on paper but in everyday use too.

We’ve outlined above where ExpressVPN stands out. They offer great speeds, the best guarantee in the business, strong customer support, a safe location and a big VPN server footprint.

ExpressVPN is the closest thing we have seen to a one-size-fits-all VPN service. It is well worth its affordable monthly subscription.

While there are cheaper options, you get what you pay for. With expressvpn, you’re paying for a better service with amazing customer support and faster server speeds. I used express when I taught in china and it was the only vpn that worked with netflix and other sites.